Inspiring Heroes

Disclaimer: I Don't Own Smallville

Zoe excitedly jumped up as she hid a small opened package from view. Clayton walked into the torch and said, "I know that look. You're on to some thing! What is it?"

Zoe bit her lip trying to suppress her excited smile, to no avail and she said, " I can't I'm sworn to secrecy. It's top secret!"

"Top secret? Oh my gosh, now you have to tell me! What is it like a top secret government scandal or more on the lines of wall of the weird top secret? Zo why wouldn't you tell me I'm your partner?" Clayton said looking like his mind was running a thousand mile a minute. Then he looked a bit hurt.

Zoe exhaled deeply and said, "OK, fine, I'm sure Chloe wouldn't mind that you know."

Her face brightened once again filled with pure excitement and then Clayton said, "Chloe? She contacted you again? You mean to say more then to congratulate us on keeping the Torch alive?"

"Yep! She contacted me but this time with an encrypted password protected message."

"How did you crack it?" Clayton asked.

"I figured out the password." Zoe answered.

"What was it?" Clayton asked.

Zoe pounced up and said, "Nelly Bly!"

"Of course, she's Chloe's idol! So what did she say?"

"We need to send someone a message." Zoe said determined.

"Why can't she do it?" Clayton asked.

"This person is being watched like a hawk. No one knows of us so it was safer to reach us then this person. We have our work cut out for us we got to be sneaky and sleuth." Chloe said.

Clayton grabbed his jean jacket along with her beige trench coat and handed it to her and said, "What are we waiting for lets make Chloe proud."

Zoe grabbed her jacket excitedly and smiled a big wide toothy grin. Then Clayton asked, "So who is it?"

"It's Oliver Queen! We were right, Chloe was sooooooo in the mix of all of the super hero stuff and..."

"Has gone in hiding for knowing to much! Let's go babe! We get to save super heroes!" Clayton finished her sentence full of excited awe.

"Let's go save our heroes!" Zoe said as she grabbed Clayton's hand and grabbed a small opened package carefully and they ran out of there.

Oliver slammed the phone frustrated, yet again another resource completely tapped. He still couldn't believe after all of the clear messages he has sent her that she still has kept to herself hidden. He hoped if he exposed himself to the world and went on with the Isis project that she'd get those clear messages and come home. So he decided that if she wasn't going to come home he'd have to get her. Maybe there was a reason she hasn't home. Maybe she was in danger. So he had hired every expert there is he had use all of his resources both as Oliver Queen and the Green Arrow to find her. Still there was nothing. He just had to figure something out. He had to find her.

Then the phone buzzed and Oliver pressed the button perturbed and said, "Celeste, I don't want to be disturbed."

"There's reporters to see you sir." Celeste said in her professional manner.

"No more reporters Celeste. If I said yes to every reporter I'd never get any work done." Oliver said.

Then her mood and voice changed into an admirable whisper, "That's true sir, but their just high school kids. They are so adorable. I think they just want an auto graph."

Then Oliver heard a young female voice say excitedly, "Oh, yeah, an autograph would be great!"

Then Celeste continued, "See sir, harmless."

"Celeste, obviously you have a lot to learn. Don't be fooled because their cute young reporters doesn't mean their harmless. I knew a cute young reporter who was quite dangerous! Just send them away and why your at it tell them to get a better hobby the one their pursuing will only lead them to heart ache and disappointment!" Oliver said a bit bitter.

Celeste whispered, "Sir, I can't tell them that."

"Fine, just send them away." Oliver said annoyed.

"Man, this girl sure put a number on you."

"No commentary, just do as your told."

"Yes, sir."

Then Oliver slammed the phone, poor kids they probably did have their hearts in the right place but enthusiastic young reporters only reminded him of Chloe and how she was a cute enthusiastic young reporter and how that lead to her superhero activities which lead to her sacrificing everything for him and leave when they were just starting to be happy. Chloe was just so stubborn when it came to sacrificing herself for everyone. She never thought of her own happiness.

Then the phone buzzed again and Ollie said, "Celeste, I said no interruptions."

Then the perky girl said, "Celeste isn't here right now."

"Kid, wow you have some nerve. Where is Celeste?"

Then he heard a male voice say, "Zoe, just tell him she went for a bathroom break."

"Clayton, it's ok, this is the Green Arrow we're telling here. We can be perfectly honest with him. Celeste is in the bathroom because we gave her brownies with a special ingredient. She'll be there for a while." She said mischiviously.

Wow. These kids were something else. Poor Celeste. Well, at least she will learn to not trust reporters no matter how young and cute they are.

"Wow, so why aren't you in here?" Oliver asked.

"You still have security and the dude looks to scary to tempt with brownies." Zoe said.

"I'll have them let you in come in." Oliver said.

There was something kind of amusing about these kids. As they jaunted in Oliver was amused by their appearance at the same time he felt a bit sad as he looked a them. The dark hair guy wearing plaid did not help. What did he do raid Clark's closet? Maybe wearing plaid was a small town thing. Then Zoe wore her dark hair stylishly up and wore a purple ruffled shirt and an edge stylish skirt. He didn't like the fact that they dressed like some old pictures he saw of Clark and Chloe. But he had to ignore that and see what these kids had to say.

"So what do you want? Is it really just an autograph because if it is I'll have to tell you that if I were anyone else you would be in big trouble here, pulling a stunt like that. I'm talking about jail trouble." Oliver said.

Then Clayton said, "We understand. We just want an interview and an autograph would be so cool."

Then Zoe exclaimd, "The thing is we want to take a different approach we would like your in put on spoons and satellites!"

Oliver eyes felt like they popped out of his head. How did they know about that? No one would really know they had any significance to him other than Chloe. Why would they even ask to the average person it's trivial unless... Chloe contacted them. Oliver's heart sank in the pit of his stomach.

"What do you want to know?" Oliver asked.

Then Zoe's eyes grazed up in perplexity as she looked like she was trying to memorize a line for a school play. Then she said, "If they would make a good gift?"

Clayton looked at Oliver searching his face and he said, "You know we were wondering what kind of things you'd give a gift too being a billionaire slash hero and all."

"Spoons and satellites sound good to me. What's this really ...?"

Then Zoe interrupted him and shook his hand enthusiastically and said, "Thanks Mr. Green Arrow this has been such an honor."

Oliver realized as she was shaking his hand she slipped his hand a small piece of paper. After they shook hands he slyly put the peice of paper in his his pocket.

Then as he look back at them they both said excitedly, "Can we get your autograph?"

The small note had the location of their meet on it. He still couldn't believe that Chloe somehow sent two high school kids, it got him worried and he just hoped there was a good reason for all of this. He came in his Green Arrow gear just in case someone found what these kids were up to. They seemed like sweet kids but they were obviously very green. They were eager but probably had no idea what kind of trouble they could be in. As he saw them they were watching their backs making sure they weren't being followed. They were both wearing trench coats.

Then Clayton took some kind of device out of his pocket. Then he pointed it at Oliver. Oliver got his arrow ready. What was this kid doing? Did these kids actually work for Rick Flagg? Then a red laser shot at him and then he saw it reflect him and then Zoe said, "Don't worry she told us to do this."

Oliver relaxed after that. Then a laser went around his body and then it formed a circle shape and then it made a noise. "Tracker disengaged." The mechanical voice said.

"Tracker?" Oliver said things starting to become clear. He had mixed feelings of worry and relief. Worry about who is tracking him and why and relief that, that was why Chloe hasn't contacted him. He was being tracked.

Then Zoe got a phone out of her pocket and showed it to Oliver and said, "She wants to talk to you. You don't have very long. Appaerntly that thingy only works for so long. She'll know when to stop."

Oliver took her phone and saw Chloe's face on the screen. His breath was taken away, it was a live feed.

"Oliver..." she said her voice cracking a little he could tell this was as hard on her as it was on him.

"Where the hell have you been?" Oliver asked angery.

"I can't tell you. You know I can't." Chloe said suppressing her tears as much as she could.

Oliver's shaken voice said, "I don't know anything anymore. Everything I thought I knew kind of went away when you did."

"Ollie, I did this for you." Chloe said.

"And what am I supposed to do with that? You gave up everything for me. How can I live with that?" Oliver said with tears in his eyes.

"Ollie I know you can." Chloe said with complete faith.

"So when are you coming back...?"

"Ollie, I can't..." Chloe said full with pain in her voice.

"No. Chloe what is the point of all of this? Where are you? What is going on? Just tell me and what ever it is we can face it together." Oliver said feeling like he could fall apart at any moment.

"Oliver this is bigger then you and me and you know that." Chloe urged.

"What's with this cloak and dagger BS Chloe? Why use the Chloe minions over there?"

"They're good reporters and they were investigating and I've learned the hard way that the best way to get reporters off of your back is put them on your side." Chloe said a little nostaligically.

Then Chloe continued more urgently, "You're being watched. The Suicide Squade are tracking you and watching you. It's difficult to counter. Their technology even impresses me. I finally came up something that can counter it but it won't last that long. They done it to all members of the Justice Leage and Justice Society they know of. I've been watching them but that's not why I contacted you."

"So what's this all about?" Oliver asked.

"I came to tell you to stop." Chloe said.

"Stop what?" Oliver asked feeling apalled and scared to death he was losing Chloe all over again.

"Stop looking for me. There's this dark force, this Darkside he possess those who let darkness in their hearts. You have to let me go. You can't let your love for me drive you to... darkness."

"I won't but I need you. You drive the darkness away. You help me put everything into perspective. With you I found clarity."

Tears fell down Chloe's cheeks.

"Ollie, trust me. This is for the best. You have to let me go...you have to. You have to be strong, not just for yourself or for me, but for the world." Chloe said filled with firmness.

"That's not fair Chloe." Oliver objected.

"Life's not fair. Do you think I like this? Being away from you when I finally can admit to myself how much I love you. You think I like giving up everything? Do you think I just don't want to come to you and rest in your arms and just forget about everything and only have the both us in the world. I want that. I want you but we can't Ollie. We're not willing to see the world torn down just for our love. We're not like Isis and Osiris, not like that."

Oliver took a deep breath and sighed and said, "You're right. I just wish there was another way. We've fought so much together why not this?"

"Because I know coming right now is to dangerous for a lot of people."

"I'll do it, I'll stop looking but Chloe I will never let you go. You're in my heart, you're always with me, you're my reason Chloe and what ever I have to fight off, I'll defeat it, because of you."

Chloe whipped her tears from her cheeks with fresh tears flowing furiously. Then she said, "I love you Ollie. You will always be a part of me too. Good.."

"No good bye's Chloe only see you when I see you. We will meet again. You hear me. As soon as it is safe you haul ass to me. You hear me!"

"I hear you Ollie. As soon as it's safe. I'm all yours."

Then her face disappeared from the screen. Oliver wanted to forget his promise and track her down. He wanted to get someone to trace where ever she was and just get her and grab her and kiss her and be with her no matter what the consequence but he knew he couldn't some things were more important. Maybe with all of this suffering and sacrificing they can finally get their time in the sun. He would fight so long and hard for that. He's fight for her. Right now fighting for her meant keeping himself in check and finding this big dark evil who was keeping him from Chloe.

Then he heard some weeping. He turned around to see Zoe crying. Oliver just realized they were still there. When he was talking to Chloe they disappeared, the whole world disappeared.

Then she whimpered and said, "That is so beautiful. I thought all of this was about some big mission conspiracy I didn't know you were in love. I thought the whole spoons, satellites, and gifts thing were just some code words I didn't know... oh it's beautiful, I'm so sorry."

"Thanks." Is all Ollie could utter.

Then Zoe went on and said, "Who would the thought the legendary Chloe Sullivan thee conesuer of the Torch and the wall of weird would fall for the Green Arrow? I thought she disappeared because she knew to much but there's more to it then that isn't there? She did it for love! That's so beautiful!"

Then she cried on Clayton's shoulder. Clayton caressed her head lovingly and full of support.

"Did you hear all of that?" Oliver asked.

Zoe raised her head from Clayton's chest, wiped her eyes, and said, "We cross our heart and hope to never get a Pulitzer. We swear on the grave of Nelly Bly to never tell a soul. This is completely off the record. It's the least we can do for our favorite hero."

"Thanks, I'm flattered." Oliver said.

"Oh, we weren't talking about you, we were talking about Chloe. She inspired us to be great reporters now. It's not something we just want to do when we grow up, it's something we are doing now, because of her. She made such a difference at a young age, she's such an inspiration to us." Clayton said.

Then Zoe said, "Chloe is amazing! She turned out to be just like her hero."

"Her hero?" Oliver asked.

"Nelly Bly!" Zoe exclaimed.

"Of course!" Clayton said and then he said, "She really did turn out like her didn't she? But you know way cooler."

"Yeah, I know right?" Zoe said.

Oliver looked both at of them lost. He didn't get it. These two obviously knew what the other was thinking with out words. He knew what that was like to have some one so in-sink with you no words are necessary.

"So Nelly Bly? Oh. Yeah, the famous reporter. I don't see how Chloe turned out like her she hasn't been a reporter for a long time. " Oliver said not liking comparing Chloe to a famous reporter, he always loved her as the Watch Tower and his partner in the Justice League.

"Yeah, well Nelly Bly was a great famous reporter. She broke records and got huge stories and made a real impact and difference the world." Clayton said.

Then Zoe continued, "And then she retired early to become partners with her rich husband and save the world side by side."

"Well, to make a difference in the factories and industrial industry. If she couldn't make real change writing articles and exposing the corrupt she'd use a more hands on approach."

"And she did that with the man she loved." Zoe said in awe.

Then Zoe looked Oliver straight in the eye, "It's pretty amazing what Chloe has done. We live in a world where they tell us to not have heroes because they're human and they're flawed. If you have to much respect and devotion for someone you will only get disappointed. But Chloe has defied that, the more we find out about her the more amazing she becomes. I'm sure she has some flaws and has bad things about her, like we all do, but she's a true inspiration not just as a former reporter but as a person. You must be proud of her."

"I am." Oliver said with sincerity and realizing it for himself.

"I am proud of her of what she has accomplished she has inspired me too, to be my best when I didn't believe in myself, she believed in me. But ..."

"You miss her." Zoe interjected.

"Yeah, I really do." Oliver said.

"I hope you find each other again. You both deserve happiness." Zoe said smiling through her dried sticky tears.

"I hope so too."

Then Clayton interjected, "Well, we'll leave you to it Mr. Green Arrow. Come on Zo, lets leave him be."

Zoe nodded and then she took Clayton's hand in hers and she looked up and said, "Thank you for protecting us and giving up so much so we can live freely. If Chloe contacts us again, we'll be in touch."

Then Oliver nodded as he watched them leave hand in hand. Oliver was beginning to understand why Chloe chose them. Their enthusiasm and spirit and innocence is just who they need for allies. They dealt enough with experienced and scarred people it was nice to deal with these kids with a fresh outlook on life. It was nice that they looked up to Chloe so much. He had to keep himself in check to not disappoint them, to not dissapoint Chloe, and to not disappoint the world. He could go out in do horrible thing all in the sake for love and find Chloe but he know that would only doom him and the world. He had to keep it safe and then once he did he what needed to be done and after it was safe enough, Chloe would come back into his arms and all would be right in the world. She would work with him by his side just like it was supposed to be. She was his hero and he had to make her proud.

A/N: Thanks for reading. I hope you all like this. I really loved seeing Clayton and Zoe and ever since their appearance I couldn't help but wonder if they could lead Ollie to Chloe. So tell me what you guys think.